Byron Mercier, a Walmart storefront greeter, helped board-up the doors and windows of his store in eastern New Orleans on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005.

Mercier didn't expect much to come from Hurricane Katrina as it churned offshore. He told the store's managers goodbye.

"I said, 'I'll see you back on Wednesday,'" Mercier said. "Well, it's been 9 years. That Wednesday finally arrived."

He told his story on Wednesday (June 11) to a crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of a Walmart at Bullard Avenue and Interstate 10 -- a welcome arrival for residents who've watched the area lag behind much of the city in rebuilding.

Wal-Mart opens a new location in eastern New Orleans to thousands of residentsNine years after Hurricane Katrina shuttered the only Wal-Mart store in eastern New Orleans, today they opened a new location where thousands of local residents came out to shop. Many who have lived in the eastern New Orleans community say, they were happy to be able to spend their money in their own neighborhood.

It's the first Walmart store destroyed by Katrina in the city that the retailer has reopened. A second location is under construction in Gentilly. A store on Tchoupitoulas St. near the Lower Garden District didn't flood and reopened shortly after the storm.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu and other city leaders joined in the opening ceremony Wednesday. The big-box is expected to employ 400 workers.

Landrieu said the store is a symbol of the city's recovery, of hope and opportunity.

"There is great dignity in work," Landrieu said.

In 2005, Mercier evacuated to San Antonio, then Los Angeles, before returning to the city one-month after the storm. He took a year off from work to rebuild his Gentilly home and help his family recover.

Until Wednesday, he'd been working at the Walmart in Harahan. He is one of 25 employees from the old eastern New Orleans store who are moving back to the Bullard Avenue location.

"We all thought we would be returning in a few days," he said.

At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the store parking lot was already overflowing with cars. Locals waited for the official ribbon-cutting to be done and go inside.

Demetria James, who lives a two-minute drive from the store, watched her daughter perform with the Fannie C. Williams Charter School marching band at the opening ceremonies. James said she's feeling good about the recovery of eastern New Orleans lately.